My name is Emilie - remember me?
My dearest blog - I am so sorry to have abandoned you for so long. Truly not intentional and PLEASE take it as a good sign, I've been so busy these last several days, ok, weeks, but I have not forgotten you.
To make up for lost time I shall try to condense each of the last three weeks into a series of concise yet nonetheless meaningful phrases which will hopefully quench your thirst for information.
Majnu ka Tillah (Delhi)/Amritsar (the Golden Temple):
EWWWW! Trying not to breath through my nose to avoid pungent odour of river behind guest house; running around wearing plastic animal masks shouting "HAPPY HALLOWEEN" to bewildered Tibetans; Truth is God - thought provoking visit to the Gandhi museum; rocked to sleep on overnight train and woken up by biting cold and calls of 'Chai! Chai-ye'; continuous chanting coming from Bose speakers placed all around the Golden temple; feeling of cleansed wet feet on cool marble; crushed in the masses of people lining up for chappati, channa masala, dal and delicious rice pudding, shelling mounds of peas; "BHARAT MATAJI!" profound sense of patriotism for India of which I was not aware a Wagha border.
Tushita Meditation retreat centre:
stoic 5:30 am yoga classes; religious experiences = hot bread rolls and homemade peanut butter; staggering into the daylight after inhalation of toxic chemical combination from toilet cleaning - the best job EVER!; endless experimentation of ways of sitting comfortably on the cushions then giving up because face it - your behind is going to hurt; moments of hilarious silence; is truth permanent? a question to tear your brain apart BEWARE.
McLeod Ganj (Week 1):
"TASHI DELEK!" my greeting to the older inhabitants of Dharamsala as I cheerfully pass them and various cows on my morning Kora walk; the Hindi teacher incapacitated by a coughing fit as I mistakenly say the F word instead of 'fourteen'; 'King Kahn' the 24 hour Bollywood movie fest celebrating Shah Rukh Kahn, relished every evening with a bowl of thukpa, my sponge brain soaking up as much information about Tibetan culture, religion and politics as it can hold from any source: the woman selling momos on the street, the Tibetan Women's association, the Karmappa...; an initial sigh of pleasure as I take my first shower of the week which quickly turns to wild howling as the water becomes COLD COLD COLD COLD COLD; rooftop yoga;getting kicked out of the Tibetan Refugee centre for asking questions 'without authorisation', nutella.
Ok that's enough for now. I need to keep some things unsaid and unknown otherwise there will be no motivation to pick me up from the airport and welcome me back into your house... :-)